Calcinus inconspicuus Morgan, 1991
Illustrations. - • Ocular peduncles, color pattern. After Morgan, 1991. • Left third pereopod. After Morgan, 1991. • Calcinus inconspicuus, male shield length 3 mm, Lifou, Loyalty Is.. Copyright J. Poupin.
References. - Calcinus inconspicuus Morgan, 1991: 884 (type locality, Elisabeth & Middleton Reefs, Tasman Sea, eastern Australia).
Unpublished specimen. - several specimens, Loyalty Is., coll. LIFOU 2000 Expedition, littoral to 30 m, 7/11/2000, det. J. Poupin (MNHN, Paris; see remarks).
Shield and cephalic appendages. - Ocular scale with a single terminal spine.
Chelipeds (P1). - Upper margin of right chela tuberculated or spinous. Outer face of left palm regularly convex.
Ambulatory legs (P2-P3). - Dactyl of P3 subequal to propodus or slightly shorter. Distal pilosity of P3 weak, similar to distal P2.
Armament of telson. - Left lobe of telson with several spines disposed on posterior margin only (4–5). Right lobe with several spines (3–4).
Coloration. - Shield pale brown to red brown (coloration known from preserved specimens only). Ocular peduncle multicolored with narrow ring close to cornea. Detailed coloration of ocular peduncle: brown, burgundy or purple, with narrow white ring close to cornea. Distal antennular peduncle blue or dark blue (from sp. examined from Lifou Is.; coloration on decolorated types was indicated as white to cream). Distal antennal peduncle brown (mottled red and pale brown; basal segments similarly colored; flagellum translucent). Chela uniformly colored, often grading to paler distally (dark to red brown turning to pale brown; carpus of cheliped red brown). Ambulatory legs (P2 & P3) without ring(s) or spot(s) (red-brown; dactyls and proximal part of meri somewhat paler).
Habitat. - Shallow-waters (11–18 m).
Geographic distribution. - Eastern Australia: Tasman Sea, Elizabeth & Middleton Reefs; New Caledonia, Loyalty Is., Lifou (this study). Indo-West Pacific.
Remarks. - Coloration of this species is illustrated here for the first time from a specimen collected at Lifou Is., Loyalty, New Caledonia, 7 November 2000 (MNHN, Paris, det. J. Poupin). By its coloration, the species is affiliated to C. gaimardii. It can be separated from it by: a) distal pilosity of P3, weak, similar to that of distal P2; b) ocular peduncle with a white ring distally (instead of blue in gaimardii).
